Almost every embroidered goods have to undergo at least one or more finishing processes before being ready for sale because stitching errors or other errors have to be eliminated.
Embroidery Finishing Methods
Finishing is nay of a number of procedures like thread trimming, removal of excess backing or topping, spot or soil removal or steaming that are performed between completion of embroidery and packaging.
Almost every embroidered goods have to undergo at least one or more finishing processes before being ready for sale because stitching errors or other errors have to be eliminated. Bands and motifs have to be cut. Sometimes chemical finishing processes add new and improved characteristics to embroidered goods.
Correction of Errors/Mending
Errors in the embroidered fabric caused by thread bread of the front respectively bobbin yarn or caused if a front or a bobbin spool runs empty must be eliminated by re-embroidering the missing of faulty design parts with a kind of sewing machine. Therefore the defective area is clamped into a small frame then the missing sample parts are repaired. The sewing machine has to be adjusted to each design and fabric. For mending, the same front and/or bobbin yarn as used on the embroidery machine has to be chosen.
Etching Process (Chemical Lace)
This processing step is necessary only with chemical lace designs. The fabric is removed and only the embroidered stitches remain. Depending on the kind of chemical fabric used, either wet or dry etching methods are employed. Mostly nonwoven fabrics are used for etching. Some fabrics are removable at 95o; others can be removed with cold water. For dry etching processes, only thicker yarns are suitable.
Other Finishing Techniques
Washing
By washing dirt as oil particles are removed.
Singeing
Singeing is the burning-off of fibers which remained in the borer holes after boring. Nowadays singeing is no longer used as it is quite expensive.
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Bleaching
Bleaching is the removing of the color by means of chemical agents.
Rinsing
In order to eliminate all chemical residues from the fabric.
Optical Brightening
Optical brightening agents have the characteristic to change the wavelength of the light. Thus the embroidery receives a fluorescent shining.
Dyeing
The color (a material), especially by soaking in a coloring solution.
Finishing
During this processing step, the fabric is strengthened, receives stability and a full grasp. Materials can be finished before embroidering.
Shearing
This method is applied for designs with may jump stitches. Jump stitches are used in designs in order to jump from one place of the fabric to another without making stitches. These “connections” will be removed by shearing afterward. At first, the connection threads are cut in the center. By means of air suction, the threads are brought into an upright position and then totally removed. ATC designs to do not need sharing because automatic thread cut machines cut front yarn and the bobbin yarn automatically during the embroidery process.
Raw Merchandise Control
The raw merchandise control is a step, which serves the purpose to recognize and mark errors in the embroidered fabric. Normally errors are already marked on the machine by colourized adhesives and/or marked by inserting thick, colored threads with special needles. Markings should be positioned where they do not disturb the further embroidery process.